Introducing this work

For the purposes of this Scoop.it site, the history of human interaction with information may be divided into 4 eras. The first (spoken) era ended with the invention of writing around 3000-4000 BC. The second era ended with the invention of the printing press in 1440. The third era ended, and the fourth began, with the invention of the Internet (depending how one defines its operational beginning) somewhere between 1969 and 1982. We now exist early, but decidedly, in the fourth era.

All readers may not agree with this interpretation of the history of information, especially with the division and numbering of the eras. That is not the main point. Rather, it is that humankind is presently existing in an era distinctly different from the one that preceded it -- that in fact, this new era is accompanied with, and characterized by, a new - and quite different - information landscape. This new Internet information landscape will challenge, disrupt, and overpower the print-oriented one that came before it. It will not completely obliterate that which preceded it, but it will render it to a subsidiary, rather than primary, level of influence.

Just as the printing press altered humanity's relationship with information, thereby resulting in massive restructuring of political, religious, economic, social, educational, cultural, scientific, and other realms of life; so too will the advance of digital technology occasion analogous transformations in the corresponding universe of present and future human activity.

This site will concern itself primarily with how K-20 education in the US, and the people who comprise its constituencies, may be affected by this transformative movement from one era to the next. All ideas considered here appear, to me at least, to impact the learning enterprise in some way. Accordingly, this work looks at the present and the future through a lens that is predominantly, but far from entirely, a digital one. -JL

Opinions expressed, scooped, or copied in this Scoop.it topic are my own, or a result of my own judgment, and should in no way be understood to reflect those of my employer.

The 21st Century Skills Early Learning Framework (ELF) was developed to encourage educators, providers of services to young children, administrators and policymakers to incorporate young learners as they develop strategies for full integration of 21st-century skills into their programs. It covers learning and innovation skills (4Cs); life and career skills; and information, media and technology skills.

I was not aware that teaching 21st century skills could be taught to children. It totally make sense! It is our duty to introduce our kids to the knowledge they are going to face in their lives. The activities proposed here are very feasible to teach with any kid. For example the first tip about fostering the by using the elements surrounding makes students to apply what they know to real context. Excellent view about the way we can enhance critical thinking in our kids.

Adequacy is an unacceptable outcome in education and learning. Students need and deserve more. Leaders can do better. Government must strive towards becoming increasingly accountable to its citizens and effective in its working. We grew up on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean (Joel from Queens, New York, and Michael from Liverpool, United Kingdom), but have forged a deep friendship based on these beliefs. We share a desire to see great education systems marked by students succeeding – from all backgrounds and all types of schools – where equity goes hand in hand with diversity, and both are propelled by excellence.

We know from history and our own experience that great education systems cannot be created solely through an edict from Whitehall or Washington, DC. To do this, whole system reform – such as that seen in Madrid, Punjab, London and New York City – must be paired with systemic innovation. As we have learned, you can mandate adequacy, but you cannot mandate greatness: it has to be unleashed.

This playbook serves to continue a conversation around the second component of great education systems – how to spark innovation in education. It offers a series of plays as a complement, not a substitute, to holistic system reform. A focus on innovation should not distract from efforts to raise student achievement, ensuring that every student has a “high floor” of expectations and support underneath their feet.

Preface: I’m (very clearly) not a neurologist. While I often have dedicated a lot of thought and research into things I write, sometimes I write about things in order to understand them–or understand them better. This is one of those times. Caveat emptor.

Generally, the Cognitive Load Theory is a theory about learning built on the premise that since the brain can only do so many things at once, we should be intentional about what we ask it to do.

It was developed in 1998 by psychologist John Sweller, and the School of Education at New South Wales University released a paper in August of 2017 that delved into theory. The paper has a great overview–and even stronger list of citations–of the theory. They also, obviously, define and explain it:

‘Cognitive load theory is based on a number of widely accepted theories about how human brains process and store information (Gerjets, Scheiter & Cierniak 2009, p. 44). These assumptions include: that human memory can be divided into working memory and long-term memory; that information is stored in the long-term memory in the form of schemas; and that processing new information results in ‘cognitive load’ on working memory which can affect learning outcomes (Anderson 1977; Atkinson & Shiffrin 1968; Baddeley 1983).’

Disruption is an interesting topic for the same reason that cowboys, gangsters, and villains are interesting. It’s unpredictable. Problematic. Against the grain.

It’s kind of aging as a buzzword in the “education space,” but it’s other-worldly powerful, and there are few things education needs more. How exactly it produces change is less clear, but I thought I’d create a model to think about. First, a quick preface. The iconic vision of disruptive innovation comes from Clayton Christensen, who uses the term to “describe a process by which a product or service takes root initially in simple applications at the bottom of a market and then relentlessly moves up market, eventually displacing established competitors.”

“Companies pursue these “sustaining innovations” at the higher tiers of their markets because this is what has historically helped them succeed: by charging the highest prices to their most demanding and sophisticated customers at the top of the market, companies will achieve the greatest profitability. However, by doing so, companies unwittingly open the door to “disruptive innovations” at the bottom of the market. An innovation that is disruptive allows a whole new population of consumers at the bottom of a market access to a product or service that was historically only accessible to consumers with a lot of money or a lot of skill.”

I usually think of disruption as any change that forces itself substantially on existing power sets. This force causes transfer–a redistribution of something–market share, money, credibility, knowledge, or something we collectively value. Here, in this literal re-vision (seeing again) and neo-vision (seeing new), is where enduring learning innovation can be born.

I talked to a brand new teacher recently who wondered why she'd bothered to go to college since her education program prepared her for very little of what actually happens in her school, a Title 1 school. She has little to no familiarity with technology or even where to go to find resources to figure out what's best to use when. When she does try to research something, she is overwhelmed by the options. She is not alone. A tech coach can help provided the tech coach isn't split between numerous buildings and provided the tech coach has time and opportunity to research other options and knows how to ask teachers questions about what they need and want, especially since most teachers don't know what they don't know. It's a conundrum not easily solved by working with an edtech consultant, though that is a solution. You can find me on Twitter @elainej or check out my web site: http://www.p20partners.com. I can help.

The Education Department has offered its stamp of approval for the controversial sale of two massive for-profit colleges, Kaplan University and the Art Institutes, according to emails obtained by BuzzFeed News — allowing both schools to convert to nonprofit colleges. Kaplan, which was purchased by Purdue University, will become a public college.

The two high-profile conversions have been closely watched by the for-profit education industry, which sees them as a bellwether for future attempts to convert to nonprofits. More and more for-profit colleges have been eyeing conversions as the industry continues to struggle to enroll students.

But there were questions about whether conversions would be allowed by federal overseers. The Obama administration had begun to block such deals over concerns that schools would not actually operate as nonprofits, independent from the for-profit entities that once owned them. There were also worries in and out of the administration that nonprofit conversions were being used to evade regulations.

Midwifery history from the Royal College of Midwives [UK]. [Above image from 1601]

"The UK's Royal College of Midwives (RCM) dates back to 1881, and continues to work "to enhance the confidence, professional practice and influence of midwives for the benefit of child-bearing women and their families, nationally and internationally." The RCM also authors the Midwives Chronicle and Nursing Notes, a blog dedicated to the history of midwifery, featuring archival items from its extensive library. Several recent posts allows visitors to read select interviews from the the Midwife's Tale Oral History project, which centered on stories of midwives and women who gave birth during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s. These interviews provide insight into an evolving profession and address a range of issues, including relationships between midwives and doctors, the experience of giving birth as a trained midwife, and postpartum depression. (Interested visitors can check out the full transcripts of all of these interviews via a link included in these posts). Another recent post allows visitors to read the very first issue of Nursing Notes: A Practical Journal, published in 1888."

The career landscape is changing dramatically. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the average worker currently holds ten different jobs before the age of forty. This requires a high degree of flexibility and adaptability. Students who leave high school

"Major domains of human development—social, emotional, cognitive, linguistic, academic—are deeply intertwined in the brain and in behavior, and all are central to learning.

"These skills can be grouped into three interconnected domains: (1) cognitive skills including executive functions such as working memory, attention control and flexibility, inhibition, and planning, as well as beliefs and attitudes that guide one’s sense of self and approaches to learning and growth; (2) emotional competencies that enable one to cope with frustration, recognize and manage emotions, and understand others’ emotions and perspectives; and (3) social and interpersonal skills that enable one to read social cues, navigate social situations, resolve interpersonal conflicts, cooperate with others and work effectively in a team, and demonstrate compassion and empathy toward others.

"Drawing on evidence from a range of disciplines and perspectives, it is clear that social and emotional skills and competencies develop in a complex system of contexts, interactions, and relationships.iv Therefore, it is important for organizations to take a systems approach to promoting development in these areas— addressing adult skills and beliefs; organizational culture, climate, and norms; and routines and structures that guide basic interactions and instruction. As described in greater detail below, such approaches are most effective when designed to match the needs and contexts of specific organizations and communities."

The OKR approach to setting goals has been used at Google, Linkedin, Zynga, General Assembly and beyond and is spreading like wildfire across successful Silicon Valley companies. The companies have adopted the approach are growing like weeds. OKRs provide focus, united the teams behind a single strategy, and makes all goals into stretch goals. If want to get your entire company to execute like the hounds of hell are behind them and the gates of Valhalla are open before them, try the OKR approach out.

"OKR stands for Objectives and Key Results. The form of the OKR has been more or less standardized. The Objective is qualitative, and the KR’s (most often three) are quantitative. They are used to focus a group or individual around a bold goal. The objective sets a goal for a set period of time, usually a quarter. The key results tell you if the objective has been met by the end of the time.

"Before you set OKRs, it is critical your company have a mission. Without a sense of purpose AND a scope to accomplish it, anything you do is equally ok. I’ve written a bit on this in the North Star post."

Taking the Mystery Out of Copyright is a resource for kids produced by the Library of Congress. Taking the Mystery Out of Copyright is intended to help elementary school students understand the purposes and functions of copyright. There are four sections to Taking the Mystery Out of Copyright. The first section, Copyright Exposed, features a short cartoon that explains how copyright protects artists. Files on Record, the second section, chronicles important historical developments in copyright law. The third section, Reading the Fine Print, answers common questions and addresses common myths about copyright laws. The last section, Steps to Copyright, instructs students on registering their own works for copyright protection.

Unions are weak. Wage growth is non-existent. Plutocrats have all the power. And yet the myth that education is all we need to finally "fix" poverty persists. AlterNet education editor Jennifer Berkshire talks with historian Harvey Kantor about how the US gave up on the idea of responding to poverty directly, instead making public schools the answer to poverty. Hint: it all starts in the 1960’s with the advent of the Great Society programs. Fast forward to the present and our belief that education can reduce poverty and narrow the nation’s yawning inequality chasm is stronger than ever. And yet our education arms race, argues Kantor, is actually making income inequality worse.

I just finished William Pinar's What is Curriculum Theory, Volume 2. He argues that teachers are responsible for creating an inviting environmenit within which students can learn. Gert Biesta argued the same point. John Dewey is a great place to begin reading about the role of teachers and students.

As scientific understanding and artificial intelligence leap forward, many professions—such as law, accounting, animation, and medicine—are changing in dramatic ways. Increasingly, these advances allow non-experts and machines to perform tasks that were previously in the sole domain of experts, thus turning expert-quality work into a commodity. With new technologies displacing workers across many fields, what will be the likely impact on the teaching profession? Will machines replace teachers?

Despite the hype and fear, machines are unlikely to replace teachers anytime soon. Rather, they are poised to help overcome several structural barriers that make it difficult to ensure that an effective teacher reaches every student.

School systems face a number of challenges, including teacher shortages, a lack of clear methods for developing high-quality teachers, and teacher burnout and attrition, to name a few. And even the best teachers struggle to address the diverse learning needs of their students or find time to focus on developing students’ deeper learning and noncognitive skills amidst pressures to cover core instruction.

Innovations that commoditize teacher expertise by simplifying and automating basic teaching tasks provide school leaders with new options for addressing three challenging circumstances:

The latest technology gadget or silicon valley ‘disruptive’ business model is merely incremental change. But I am convinced that we are living in the middle of an epochal change. I use David Ronfeldt’s TIMN model (2009) to explain that we are shifting from a tri-form society, where markets dominate, to a quadriform society, where networks dominate. This new societal form will be one of working and learning in perpetual beta.

However you define CBE, the intent is to be clear about a student’s precise skillsets, dispositions, and capabilities in a way that seat-time-based learning is ill-equipped to reveal. A list of college credits and grades on a transcript or even a diploma more generally are poor proxies of what a student can do. Competencies, in contrast, offer a legible and meaningful reflection of what a student both knows and can do with that knowledge.

There is a fundamental core of CBE, and it’s unlikely that your definition diverges radically from the essence of these tenets. That being said, however, people should be ready to witness a wild proliferation of different learning pathways that stem from these same core definitions.

That’s a rigorous standard by which to measure effective teaching and requires a mindset switch about what education is for and how it will remain relevant to students growing up in a world that is more connected and less stable than ever before.

When will the leaves start changing? When will they peak? Our 2017 Fall Foliage Map and leaf prediction tool has the answers you are looking for.

via the Scout Report

"Smoky Mountains National Park has released this helpful, interactive map that predicts when foliage lovers can expect to see fall colors this upcoming September and October. By selecting a date, visitors can view where trees are expected to be at "peak" color across the county. Predictions are organized by week (from the week of August 13th through the week of October 29th) and expressed via a scale of seven descriptions, from "No Change" to "Past Peak." In addition to this interactive map, visitors can find a helpful scientific explanation of why leaves turn color in the autumn, and what unique chemical compounds can be found in orange, red, and yellow leaves. These explanations are designed to be accessible to learners of all ages and provide a way for caretakers and educators to engage young nature enthusiasts with the science and beauty of autumn."

"Established in 1895, the Higher Learning Commission accredits college and university institutions in nineteen states. The Commission hosts an annual conference that invites participating institutions to speak on the accreditation process, as well as best practices for institutional administration, curriculum, and pedagogy. A collection of papers is published from each annual conference - the link above takes visitors to an organized collection of papers from 2016, which can be browsed by category. Individual paper topics include: developing meaningful assessments with limited resources, using social media to engage institutional stakeholders, and developing a "graduate experience" in two-year master's programs. These papers are authored by professionals at public universities, private four-year colleges, and two-year colleges. Additionally, visitors can explore archived collections of papers dating back to 2013 in the Archives tab."

"The first case study from the Aspen Institute’s National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development (SEAD) shows how schools and educators enhance learning when they teach a curriculum that simultaneously builds students’ social, emotional, and academic understanding.

"Putting It All Together discusses how an integrative approach is different from developing social emotional skills through stand-alone programs, details the benefits of such an approach, acknowledges the challenges to doing this work well, and provides supports and strategies for overcoming those challenges.

"The case study vividly paints a picture of what this looks like by sharing on-the-ground examples from across the country. At Capital City Public Charter School in D.C., students learn collaboration, critical feedback, and leadership skills in its lessons across subject areas, developing key social skills that are essential for academic learning as well as for later professional life. San Francisco Unified School District’s “growth mindset” math program builds students’ confidence, persistence, and ability to take academic risks by teaching that mistakes are an essential part of learning.

"Other examples include:

-The Facing History and Ourselves curriculum engages students in examining racism, prejudice, and intolerance to try to develop a more humane and informed citizenry.-The New Tech Network of schools uses project-based learning to make learning authentic and encourage students to collaborate.-The Center for the Collaborative Classroom’s curriculum helps to support the academic, ethical, and social development of children."

More than one quarter of Americans hold a non-degree credential, such as a certificate or an occupational license or certification, according to new data from the federal government. And 21 percent have a completed a work experience program such as an internship, residency or apprenticeship.The new report from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics is based on responses from 47,744 adults to a 2016 survey. Its goal, the department said, was to learn more about the prevalence of these credentials as well as to gauge perceptions about their value in the job market.

Using CAMP"CAMP can be a diagnostic tool, as I had first intended. When student work is off, I can ask myself “what is broken here?” Incomplete understanding of context? Wrong context? Lack of architecture? Inharmonious mechanics? Not enough testing to

assure the Poetics meet the intent?

"But more and more I find myself turning to CAMP as I make my own work. I use CAMP when I design a class."

Jim Lerman's insight:

A wonderful article on one educator/designer's search/journey for a way to approach design. Along the way, author Wodtke shares many links of value. Her unified theory, CAMP, appears to offers great promise for educators.

"...millennial suburbanites want a new kind of landscape. They want breathing room but disdain the energy wastefulness, visual monotony and social conformity of postwar manufactured neighborhoods. If new suburbs can hit the sweet spot that accommodates the priorities of that generation, millennial habitats will redefine everyday life for all suburbanites, which is 70 percent of Americans.

How can technology, revolutionary design and planning transform suburban living?

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